IS THIS THING ON? - film

Is This Thing On? is a dramedy that follows Alex (Will Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern) as their 20 year-long marriage is gently unravelling. As they navigate this including co-parenting their two late primary school-age children, Alex stumbles into trying stand-up comedy and it becomes a form of therapy to process what he’s going through. Her story is the less prominent of the two, but Tess also grapples with this change including exploring what she’d like to do to redefine herself and embrace her new, different life.

I saw this film described in a review as a ‘rom com’ and whilst stand up comedy features prominently, I think I’d probably say it’s more drama than comedy. Funny in parts for sure but don’t go expecting to be laughing incessantly! 'Is This Thing On? is more subtle than that. I really, really enjoyed it!

Laura Dern is always excellent and when it comes to Will Arnett, I think I just found it refreshing to see him act again having most recently been primarily exposed to him by listening to the podcast he co-hosts. He’s a good actor and it was nice to be reminded of it having been put off him a little due to the extreme privileged white man vibes he gives off on the podcast. But, I digress!…

Is This Thing On? is good old fashioned story telling, I reckon. It’s based on the story of a UK comic John Bishop and I think it’s one of those situations where someone has an interesting story, that’s translated to the big screen so we can all enjoy it and enjoy it we do!

It’s directed by Bradley Cooper which explains the strangely small role he plays in the film which is at odds with how big a star he is!

It’s rated M, runs 121 minutes and opens in cinemas on 5 February. A 4 star review in The Guardian here if you’d like to read more. Trailer here.

MARTY SUPREME - film

Hooooo boy. This film starring Timothée Chalamet is intense! At the end - after 2.5 hours no less - I felt like I could finally unclench my teeth.

Marty Supreme is set in the 1950s with Chalamet as Marty Mauser, an arrogant, annoying, relentless, calculating, lying young table tennis prodigy trying to break through to the top of the professional scene. I found him thoroughly unlikeable. Often characters like this are pitched comfortably in ‘sure he’s annoying but you can’t help but get behind an underdog’ territory but I personally was never really rooting for him. That said, I was invested in the story and absolutely engaged right to the end to see his fate. I don’t think I was rooting for him to *not* make it but nor was I on his side. Wherever your land on that spectrum, it’s hard to not be completely intrigued by how this story ends. Will this scheming little twerp be victorious?! Yes, I wanted to know.

The story is convoluted in some ways which explains the 2.5 hour length. There’s a through line about a dog which adds drama and tension but to my mind, chopping that would have been a simple way to drop the run time down by the 30 minutes (more, even) that I reckon it needs.

Gwyneth Paltrow plays … well, I won’t say too much as the role her character plays has an interesting intersection with Marty’s story that I think it’s good to discover as you watch the film. She’s luminous and it’s great to see her back on the big screen.

This film’s out at this time of year because it’s excellent and featuring prominently in award season buzz. I really enjoyed it but perhaps not as much as the Oscars judging panel seem to! There’s a 3.5 star review in the Fairfax press here if you’d like to read more. I reckon I’d give it about 3.5 too.

Marty Supreme is rated M, runs 149 minutes and is in cinemas now.

BLUE MOON - film

Before there was Rogers and Hammerstein (IYKYK) there was Rogers and Hart and Blue Moon tells the story of Hart - Lorenz, played by Ethan Hawke - and how he lost the chance to be one half of arguably the most famous musical theatre writing duo in history.

As you might expect from a film adjacent to musical theatre this film is pretty camp, or at least Hawke as Hart is, and it’s a really terrific watch. Andrew Scott (#swoon) is Rogers and honestly I’d watch him read the phone book so count me in for anything in which he stars. Bobby Cannavale and Margaret Qualley also feature, Qualley luminous as always, Cannavale fun to watch as always.

I and the friend I saw this with both really liked Blue Moon. My made the astute observation that it felt a little bit like watching live theatre and he’s right. That’ll make sense if you see it which I recommend you do.

Blue Moon opens on 29 January, runs 100 minutes (YAY) and is rated M. The Guardian gave it four stars, with which I concur - check out their review if you want to know more on this one. Trailer here.

SONG SUNG BLUE - film

A Milwaukee couple played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson rise to fame as a Neil Diamond tribute act… sounds fun, right?!

Welllll…. here’s the thing you wouldn’t know from the ads and promo of this terrific film … it sure is fun at times but it’s also sad at times! Don’t go in not knowing this! Not sad in an unwatchable or unappealing way. I just think it’s worth you knowing that it’s not all beer and Skittles! (Or “Sweet Caroline… bup bup buuup”.)

So as you’d expect based on the above caveat, significant challenges befall our Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline wannabes but overall I thought Song Sung Blue was really great and Kate Hudson deserves that Emmy nomination she’s notched up - she’s excellent in this.

Here’s a four star review in The Guardian if you’d like to know more about the storyline.

Song Sung Blue opens 1 January, is rated M and runs 133 minutes.

THE HOUSEMAID - film

This thriller based on the wildly popular book of the same name is … good enough. I enjoyed it! I’d read the book so, knowing how it ended, it wasn’t super thriller-ish for me but having really enjoyed the book, I did really like seeing it brought to life on the big screen.

Will it trouble the judging panels of upcoming Oscar and Emmy awards?* Nope. Is it just good old fashioned story telling done well for the masses? Yep.

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney star and both do well, though particularly Seyfried who plays a woman … wait… I’ll stop. It’s best you go in blind I reckon. The Housemaid is getting quite mixed reviews. The Guardian and Mamamia loved it but The Age didn’t have much positive to say in their 2.5 star review. Read one of these reviews if you’d like some more details on the storyline but as I say - my advice is to just leap into this blind! (If you’ve read the book I reckon you’ll have the same take on the film as me.)

The Housemaid is in cinemas now. runs 2 hours 11 mins (20 mins too long) and is rated MA15+.

* I know that’s not how it works, don’t @ me!

THE HISTORY OF SOUND - film

This time of year heralds the rising of the award nominee films so it’s typically a good time to head to the cinema if you don’t go often.

The History of Sound strikes me as classic awards bait. It’s good but perhaps not quite as good as it thinks.

Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor star as Lionel and David, young men who meet in 1917 in the music school at the Boston Conservatory and fall in love. WWI separates them initially but they are reunited by music and love before again taking divergent paths.

This film is lovely but slow. Gentle but a little too gentle. Mescal and O’Connor are both excellent but overall I’d say this film is a nice-to-see not must-see feature of awards season.

The History of Sound opens on 18 December and runs for 128 minutes which is at least 20 minutes too long unfortunately.

WICKED: FOR GOOD

Part two is here! I’ll assume you’re only interested in part 2 if you saw part 1 so won’t bother with origin stories and context here and cut right to the chase instead!

Here’s the thing. It’s … ok. Or maybe pretty good. But it’s not excellent. I didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did part 1. Most notable, I thought, was that this new installment is way less funny than the first film, in which I laughed out loud many times.

Overall I guess the thing is that if you saw part 1 and enjoyed it you’re almost certainly going to see part 2 regardless of the reviews which I totally get and would do the same. And if you didn’t enjoy part 1 well you’re hardly going to drop $25 on seeing part 2.

So categorise yourself and go forth, my friends!

I agree with this 3.5 star review in The Age, if you want to read more.

Wicked: For Good is rated PG, runs for 137 minutes and opens in cinemas on Thursday 20 November.

A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY - film

*meh*

A big bold beautiful publicity campaign sometimes points to a big bold beautiful disappointment of a movie and dear readers … so it was. The friend I took to the preview napped through most of it.

Wait ‘til it’s on a streamer if you’re keen.

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE

If you liked the TV series and previous movies in the Downton franchise you’ll enjoy this. It’s pretty vanilla, no surprise deaths or anything noteworthy but nice enough. Beautiful to look at per usual, especially if you love the women’s fashion of the era.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale runs 123 minutes, is rated PG and is in cinemas now.

CAUGHT STEALING - film

This film is intense! Aussie Austin Butler plays Hank, a bar man battling alcohol addiction living in New York who agrees to feed his neighbour’s cat. So far so normal. Then some seriously dodgy characters come looking for Hank’s cat owning neighbour and incorrectly assume he knows more than he does about what the missing cat owning neighbour has been up to! CHAOS ENSUES! Genuinely, the tension and chaos just builds and builds until you feel like you might burst! Suffice to say, there’s drugs and money involved.

There’s a fair bit of violence so Caught Stealing is not for the faint-hearted but it’s a rollicking ride which I’d definitely recommend. I saw it with my 20-something year old nephew and he loved it too. Austin Butler is superb, as is the supporting cast of Zoe Kravitz, Matt Smith, Regina King, Liev Schreiber and more.

Caught Stealing is rated MA15+, runs 107 minutes and is in cinemas now.

THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND - film

I loved this film SO much! I genuinely can’t think of one I’ve enjoyed more in recent memory. It’s laugh-out-loud funny and has loads of heart. Yes, I shed a few tears along the way too!

The Ballad of Wallis Island is co-written by and stars UK stand-up comedian Tim Key. Key plays Charles, a lonely and slightly eccentric man living by himself on a remote Welsh island. He hires his favourite musical duo (Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden, who is the other co-writer of the film) to visit the island to play a gig for him but things are a tad complicated by the fact they are no longer a duo on stage or off, as they were in their heyday. How Charles can afford to pay them to do this is a fun gag I won’t spoil.

The Ballad of Wallis Island is rated PG and runs 100 minutes. If you only get to one film this year, make it this one. It’s a complete joy.

THE NAKED GUN (2025) - film

This film is a … tribute, I guess you’d say, to the 1988 comedy film of the same name which has a cult following. You don’t need to have seen the original to enjoy this one at all. It stands alone as a slapstick, silly comedy just as confidently as the original. Starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson as cop and femme fatale, this film made me laugh out loud many, many times. It’s really dumb, just as the original was, so you need to be able to cope with that to enjoy it, but cleverly the film is just 85 minutes long. Any longer and it’d stretch the friendship too far.

The Naked Gun (2025) is rated M and in cinemas now. If you need a brainless laugh, it’s right up your alley.

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (2025) - film

This isn’t a remake or prequel or sequel to the 1997 slasher film of the same name, just another shot at a similar thing, I guess, complete with significant cameos from stars of the original, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jnr (still handsome!) and Jennifer Love Hewitt. What a trio of spectacular names!

I haven’t seen the original in a million (25+!) years so I can’t properly reflect on how it compares but as a stand alone film, I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected! Horror’s very much not my deal but like the original it’s more slasher than horror and not actually scary in any way. You’ll be too busy laughing at how silly it is!

Based on the hooting and hollering from others at the screening I was at, there’s clearly some special joy in it for fans of the original (laughing at call backs that meant absolutely nothing to me) and it’s just silly fun for the rest of us. That said, as a slasher film, whilst not scary it is pretty gross so if blood and gore’s not your thing you should absolutely, categorically give this a miss.

I took an 18 year old woman as my +1 to the screening and she really enjoyed it, offering a 4 star review. The cast is packed with young hot people she knows but I definitely don’t. Sorry for being old and boring!

I Know What You Did Last Summer is in cinemas now, rated MA15+ and runs 111 minutes. Here’s a proper review from The Guardian - 3 stars - if you want more details on the storyline etc.

SUPERMAN - film

I’m a 40+ year old woman with no interest in superheroes, DC films, marvel films yada yada … so it’s no surprise really that about 15 minutes into this film I thought, this has a big audience but it definitely ain’t me. But what is a bit more of a surprise is that, a) about 20 minutes later I thought, I think this film might actually be quite bad, and b) I took a 30-something year old man to the preview and he FELL ASLEEP during the film. Do you know how hard it is to fall asleep in a very loud, very bright superhero film at IMAX?! You guys, we just didn’t like it and there’s no way to sugar coat it. The storyline was naff in many ways, there was some appalling dialogue and Superman (David Corenswet) wasn’t the charming hero you’d expect. What other conclusion can we draw?! It’s not our fault we didn’t like it!

The proper reviews appear to be pretty mixed. In order to balance mine I offer this positive one in the UK Telegraph. There’s plenty that are less positive but I won’t labour the point by sharing any of those.

Superman opens in cinemas on 10 July 2025, runs 130 minutes and is rated M.

F1

If there’s a more predictable film than F1, I haven’t seen it. Genuinely, if you told me ChatGPT had written the script I’d believe you. (Though actually if you told ChatGPT to throw in a few plot twists it probably could have come up with better!)

It’s good old Hollywood razzle dazzle visually with plenty of middle-distance staring by Brad Pitt who plays the lead so if that’s your cup of tea and you don’t need a decent storyline, perhaps you’ll enjoy this.

Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a has-been F1 driver attempting to make an unlikely comeback. He’s a sullen chap, old mate Sonny, and you get the feeling Pitt doesn’t exactly have to stretch much to meet the casting criteria on that front.

If you want to know more about the storyline check out this BBC review.

F1 has an audience but it sure ain’t me and I also think it’s likely a smaller pool of people than the marketing of the film would suggest.

It opens on Thursday 26 June, runs 155 minutes and is rated M.

MATERIALISTS - film

This film is terrible.

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME - film

The Phoenician Scheme is a little odd but I laughed plenty and broadly enjoyed it! One of the lead roles is played by a young woman who was unfamiliar to me, Mia Threapleton, and I spent the whole film thinking, this woman is flippin’ incredible! How have I never seen her before?! Anyways, turns out Mia is the daughter of Kate Winslet so not exactly a surprise that she’s hella talented.

Mia steals the show in The Phoenician Scheme as Liesl Korda, a nun and daughter of Zsa-Zsa Korda, the other lead role in the film, played by Benicio Del Toro. Zsa-Zsa is trying “to dominate the economy of a fictional Middle Eastern nation with an interlocking series of mining transportation and fishing ventures, by using exploitative slave labour and moreover manipulating the agricultural market in such a way as to cause famine.” The smaller characters with whom he must negotiate are played by some BIG names which is amazing and a credit to director Wes Anderson who was presumably the draw card to attract their participation. Tom Hanks’ role was modest but Willem Dafoe’s is positively tiny. Willem Dafoe for crying out loud! I love that guy! And he’s in this film for, like, a minute or maybe two. Michael Cera is a key player in the film and very funny and likeable per usual.

I rarely talk about directors on this blog because part of the origin story of its purpose is my desire to give what many people want rather than an in-depth critique; that is, a quick ‘yeah see this’ or ‘hell no, this is awful’. But Wes Anderson is a man with many, many very committed fans who are waiting to hear what his new film is like and on that front I’m here to say that it’s PRETTY Wes Anderson but not VERY Wes Anderson. So if you’re a Wes Anderson-stan it might not be weird and wonderfully Wes-ish enough for you. But for those like me who aren’t really observing such things, this is a bit of fun.

The Phoenician Scheme is in cinemas now, rated M and runs for 101 minutes. Click on the linked section of text above that’ll take you to The Guardian’s three star review if you’re keen to read more.

BEETLEJUICE - musical theatre

WOW WOW WOW!

I absolutely loved this musical theatre production of Beetlejuice that’s just opened in Melbourne! It’s written by Melbourne’s own Eddie Perfect who also stars in the titular role. The script and his performance are funny and clever and just all round superb. The whole supporting cast are all extremely talented too but I’m reserving a special shout out for the young woman who plays the other lead role of Lydia, Karis Oka. Her voice is spectacular.

After Eddie’s opening number as Beetlejuice the crowd just absolutely roared with applause and praise. It was a sign of what was to come and the roaring and cheering didn’t let up the whole night, right through to a standing ovation at the end of the show.

You don’t need to have seen either of the movies (1988 & 2024) to enjoy this show though if you have seen either of them, the first especially, you’ll possibly enjoy this even more as it’s a lovely nod to the much loved film whilst being very original and modern.

When I think of the kids in my life I’m confident they’d all really love this. There’s certainly a little fruity language and some adult themes but with big, brash, colourful musicals like this, things move so fast that I’m sure it’ll mostly be lost of them and be fine. Two and a half hours is a long time though so probably not for little little kids.

I reckon Melburnians should be super proud of this home-grown show and I hope it goes from strength to strength around Australia and beyond. It’s playing in Melbourne until early August and I can’t encourage you enough to go and see this, especially if musicals are your thing. It’s fun and bold and will make you want to jump up and dance if you’re anything like me!

Details here.

MICKEY 17 - film

Mickey 17 is part sci fi, part fantasy, part comedy, part GAH and long time readers may know that sci fi and fantasy are really not my cup of tea. But in spite of that I enjoyed this wild ride far more than I expected to! Apart from being about half an hour too long, (2hr 17 mins total run time) it’s really great!

Robert Pattinson stars as Mickey, an "expendable" crew member on a space mission, selected for dangerous tasks because he can be renewed if his body dies, with his memories largely intact. He dies and is renewed many times in the film until one time things go awry. UH OH!

Pattinson and the whole cast of this film are excellent! Aussies Toni Collette and Daniel Henshall alongside Mark Ruffalo and Steven Yeun all kill it. I don’t often talk directors but this film is directed by Bong Joon Ho who is also responsible for the 2019 hit film Parasite. I reckon if you loved Parasite - as so many did - you will enjoy Mickey 17.

So to cut to the chase, if you like wild fantasy and sci fi I reckon you’ll love this and if they’re not your usual cup of tea but you’re open to something new that’s funny and wild, give Mickey 17 a try!

Mickey 17 is rated M and opens on 6 March 2025. Trailer here.

THE LAST SHOWGIRL

This film should be awesome and it just … isn’t quite.

The film follows Shelly (Pamela Anderson) who is a seasoned 57 year old showgirl who suddenly has to plan for her future when the show she’s been in for decades closes. Anderson is good but not the revelation you hope and she’s nowhere near as good as Jamie Lee Curtis who plays Shelly’s friend Annette who is a former showgirl herself.

This film runs just 87 minutes and whilst I’d usually rate that highly, it doesn’t work here. For example, Shelly’s complicated relationship with her daughter is touched on but not explored deeply enough and the ‘revelation’ of who the daughter’s father is, even less so.

I wanted to love this. Yay Pamela making a comeback! Yay women in their 50s being portrayed as beautiful showgirls! Yay Jamie Lee Curtis always! But it just doesn’t quite live up to what it could and should have been. Save this one for when it pops up on a streamer, if you’re really curious.

The Last Showgirl is rated M and is in cinemas now.